George k



(No Model.)

G. K. RUSSELL.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 570,684. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

V Invenior fl wafia a gmflmamw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE K. RUSSELL,

on NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,684, dated November 3, 1896.

Application filed J 11118 1396.

I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to oar-couplers.

My object is to provide a more cheap and simple car-coupler which will couple automatically and quickly in a highly superior manner, and one which can be uncoupled readily.

A further object is to provide a superior automatic car-coup1er of improved construction, so that it will be adapted to swing laterally when the car is going around a curve.

Having these objects in view, my invention consists of certain novel features and combinations appearing more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of my improved couplers. Fig. 2 is a rear end perspective view 5 Fig. 3, a front end elevation, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal sectional view showing two couplers locked.

The numeral 1 designates my improved draw-head, and 2 the outer and improved end of a draw-bar, which, when in position on the car, iscushioned in the usual manner. The rear end of the draw-head is bifurcated at 3, thereby providing upper and lower arms 4 and 5.

The numeral 6 designates a tongue which is received in bifurcation 3 and. is pivotally held therein by coupling-pin 7 which passes through arms 4 and 5 and said tongue.

The improved construction just described permits the draw-head to swing laterally when the car is going around a curve, thereby materially lessening the strain on said draw-bar.

The draw-head is open as usual, but a coupling-hook has its shank 8 received in the draw-head and securely connected to the bottom thereof at one side, while the front end of said coupling hook projects out from the draw-head and is provided with a hook-head 9,having a front upwardly and rearwardly Serial No. 596,440. (No model.)

inclined face 10. It will be observed that the rear portion of the hook-head is cut away deeply at 11.

The numeral 12 designates alocking-plate which is slidable vertically in suitable guidegrooves formed in the inner side walls of the draw-head. The lower front edge of this locking-plate is beveled, as at 13, and when said lockingplate is down, which is its normal of the coupling-hook, so that an opening 14 is provided between said edge and the bottom or floor of the draw-head. This locking-plate is provided with a substantially square opening 15, which is located atone side of the locking-plate, so that it will be in alinement with opening 14 and at one side of the shank of the coupling-hook. The locking-plate is provided with a limit-stop 1 6, which prevents the plate from being pulled out of the draw-head vertically, as when being raised prior to uncoupling. Any suitable mechanism can be employed in connection with the locking-plate, so that the latter may be raised when it is desirable to uncouple.

An inspection of Fig. 4 will disclose the manner in which two couplers look. The couplers on two approaching cars are so arranged that when they come together the front ends of the hook-heads enter openings 14 and the beveled edges of the locking-plates ride on the inclined front portions of said hookheads until the rearmost points of the hookheads have been reached, whereupon the locking-plates drop by gravity, and when the cars separate slightly those portions of the lockingplates which are below the openings therein enter the notched portions in the rear of the hook-heads, so that the couplings are held in locked position. Vhen it is desired to uncouple, the locking-plates are held at the limit of the upward movement, whereupon, when the cars separate, the couplers will be pulled apart.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a car-coupling, the combination with draw-heads provided with hooks havinghookheads which are notched at their rear portions, of gravity-operated locking-plates having openings, thereby providing lower crosspieces, said cross-pieces of the locking-plates position, its lower edge rests on the shank 8 being adapted for reception in the notched portions of the hook-heads of the hooks, and the openings receiving the rear upper portions of said hook-heads.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with draw-heads, of individual coupling-hooks having shanks secured to the draw-heads within the same and their hook-heads projecting out from said drawheads, and locking-plates having their lower edges resting on the shanks of the coupling-hooks, thereby forming openings between the lower edges of said locking-plates and the bottoms of the drawheads, said openings being adapted to receive the couplingheads. v

3. In a car-coupling, the combination with draw-heads, of individual coupling-hooks having their respective shanks secured to the fioors of the draw-heads, being located at one side of'the latter, the hook-heads of said hooks projecting out in front of thedraw-heads, and vertically-slidable gravity-operated lockingplates normally resting on the shanks of the coupling-hooks, thereby providing openings between the lower edges-of the locking-plates and the floors of the draw-heads, which openings are adapted to receive the respective hook-heads so that the locking-plates and hook-heads will be brought into engagement.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination with 30 draw-heads, of coupling-hooks having their shanks secured to the floors of the draw-heads and at one side thereof, and provided with outwardly-projecting hook-heads having front upwardly and rearwardly inclined faces and rear notched portions, and vertically-slidable gravity-operated locking-plates having lower beveled edges resting on the shanks of the coupling-hooks, thereby providing openings between said edges and the floors of the drawheads, said locking-plates being also provided with openings in alinement with the aforesaid openings, thereby providing cross-pieces, said cross-pieces being adapted for reception in the notches of the hook-headsand the rear upper portions of said hook-heads being received in the openings in the locking-plates.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE -K. RUSSELL. Vitnesses:

HARRY HALLENBECK, CHARLES GALLAGHER. 

